The Clans' Proposal
i'M nEvEr GoInG tO fInIsH tHiS This is a fanfiction about OceanClan, formerly WaterClan. WIP!!! Note: In this version of reality, all the Clans live in the forest, except for SkyClan, which doesn't exist. WaterClan lives in the territory that RiverClan owns in the books, and RiverClan lives where SkyClan does in the books. All the rest of the Clans live in the same places that they do in the books. Allegiances= WaterClan Leader: Whalestar -- black tom with a white belly and white tail tip; green eyes Deputy: Palmclaw -- ginger-orange she-cat with amber-brown eyes Medicine Cat: Brookflow -- golden-brown tabby she-cat with ice blue eyes Warriors: Rockfall -- gray tabby tom with brown eyes Apprentice, Wavepaw Waterheart -- blue-gray she-cat with white ears and forest-green eyes Apprentice, Sandpaw Blueheart -- white she-cat with three brown paws and dark blue eyes Barkstripe -- mud-brown tom with darker brown stripes and yellow eyes Flowersea -- pale golden she-cat with brown eyes Mothflutter -- pale brown she-cat with a black patch on her side; dark brown eyes Rosecurrent -- tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with blue eyes Apprentice, Spotpaw Aqualeaf -- silver tom with blue eyes Foxear -- bright orange tom with blue-green eyes Blackbud -- aged black tom with violet eyes Yellowbreeze -- small, graceful yellow she-cat with white paws and tail tip; green eyes Dovepelt -- large, long-furred, light gray tom with large, light blue eyes Apprentices: Wavepaw -- small yellowish brown she-cat with orange eyes Sandpaw -- pale golden tom with a black tail tip and very dark, almost black, eyes Spotpaw -- red she-cat with whitish spots; amber eyes Queens: Grassfur -- fluffy-furred brown she-cat with turquoise eyes Nursing, Burnkit and Sparkkit (both toms) Crystalnose -- beautiful white she-cat with a gray foot and blue eyes Nursing, Lightningkit (she-cat), Daisykit (tom), and Fishkit (tom) (Fishkit is from a different litter with a different father) Redears -- small flame-red colored she-cat with bright red ears and brown eyes Nursing, Goldkit (tom), Seakit (she-cat), Beachkit (tom), and Arctickit (she-cat) (Arctickit is from a different litter with a different father) Graveltail -- gray she-cat with dark flecks along her tail and yellow eyes Nursing, Dovekit and Conchkit (both she-cats) (Conchkit is from a different litter) Elders: Cherryflower -- brown and white she-cat with amber eyes Vinefoot -- white tom with specks of black and a black foot; green eyes Larkfeather -- brown-and-white speckled she-cat with turquoise eyes ThunderClan (Incomplete) Leader: Graystar -- light gray tom with pale green eyes Deputy: Irisflower -- gray-purple she-cat with blue eyes Medicine Cats: Pearlglow -- beautiful white she-cat with brown eyes Stripebird -- ginger tabby tom with blue eyes RiverClan (Incomplete) Leader: Ternstar -- white-and-gray tom with blue eyes Deputy: Dawnleaf -- golden yellow she-cat with brown eyes Medicine Cat: Mosspebble -- gray she-cat with black markings; yellow eyes ShadowClan (Incomplete) Leader: Lichenstar -- pale ginger she-cat with blue eyes; missing one whisker Deputy: Jaggedrock -- dark gray tabby tom with green eyes Medicine Cat: Swallowfeather -- sleek blue-gray she-cat with orange eyes Apprentice, Briarpaw (orange-brown tom with green eyes) WindClan (Incomplete) Leader: Rosestar -- dark ginger she-cat with white paws and throat; dark green eyes Deputy: Moonwillow -- red-brown she-cat with gray eyes Medicine Cat: Sunbright -- long-furred orange she-cat with brown eyes Cats Outside of Clans Loners Jade -- light gray-and-white she-cat with blue eyes, living in the barn near WindClan territory Bud -- blue-gray she-kit with blue eyes; Jade's youngest kit Glow -- light gray she-kit with beautiful golden eyes; Jade's middle kit Breeze -- white tom-kit with green eyes; Jade's oldest kit Kittypets Ellie -- large black she-cat with white paws|-|Story= Prologue "DON'T YOU EVER FEEL as if you're being left out, Whalestar?" Lichenstar, the leader of ShadowClan, asked, sincere concern showing in her eyes. "You know, each of our Clans has their own element — water, sky, darkness, and air. You have to share "water" with RiverClan." Ternstar, the leader of RiverClan, said, "And I'm sorry, Whalestar, about the flood, but we just don't have enough territory to feed our Clan. Your cats are catching most of the fish upstream of our territory, leaving almost no prey for us. And I don't blame you," he added quickly, seeing Whalestar's furious look, "I know you don't have enough prey either. But wouldn't it be better if you found your own special place?" "I have told you," Whalestar said slowly, "that WaterClan does not feel right in the forest. It's not our natural home. But where else is there for us to go?" "I've heard rumors," Rosestar, the leader of WindClan, put in, "that there is a place full of water northwest of here. There is a barn cat living in the old barn up by our territory that told us. She will be able to help you." "Yes, I've heard that too," Graystar, ThunderClan's leader, agreed. "I need to speak with my Clan," Whalestar meowed, though he knew in his heart that they would have to leave. There was simply no room for them in the forest, and none of the other Clans could possibly give their territory up to them for WaterClan to move out of their steadily flooding territory. Of course, they could swim, but no cat expected them to live in water — they wouldn't survive. Whalestar turned away from the leaders, sitting at the RiverClan border, and padded toward his warriors. "Palmclaw, Brookflow, Waterheart, Rockfall, Rosecurrent, Barkstripe," he called softly. "Come to these ferns here, we need to talk." His deputy, medicine cat, and senior warriors came forward silently and entered the cool, dark clump of ferns. They all seemed to know what Whalestar wanted to talk about, by the looks on their faces. "The other leaders have presented a good argument," Whalestar admitted. "There really is no territory to be shared for WaterClan. We are the largest Clan in the forest and cannot easily melt into the other Clans. Rosestar has suggested that we speak with a barn cat living near WindClan territory about a place full of water, located northwest of the forest. I believe it is our only chance of survival." Brookflow voiced something he had been worried about — "What if some cats want to stay?" Whalestar was ready with an answer for his medicine cat. "Then they must go and join one of the other Clans, if they are willing to take them on. I won't force any of my Clan to go, but naturally, it is my hope that most of my Clan will join me." He looked around at his senior warriors. Palmclaw stepped forward immediately. "I will go with you anywhere, Whalestar," she meowed. Whalestar felt relief at his deputy's support. After seeing Palmclaw's decision, the other four warriors agreed as well. "Thank you all," Whalestar said, "for being so loyal. Now I must tell the Clan. We have to be prepared for some cats' objection." His faithful warriors nodded and they exited the ferns. Whalestar quickly asked the other leaders if they'd be willing to take on any WaterClan warriors that stayed, and they agreed. Now it was time to face his Clan. Chapter 1 "Cats of WaterClan, let us all gather beneath this oak tree to hear what I have to tell you!" At Whalestar's call, every warrior, apprentice, queen, kit, and elder turned to face him, sitting on top of a tall oak tree at Sunningrocks. "You know that the other Clans have been expressing wishes for us to leave," Whalestar began, and held up his tail for silence as several warriors opened their mouths. "Now, I have come to the decision that it is the only choice we can make. However—" and here he had to hold up his tail for silence again— "I have decided to give warriors, apprentices, queens, and elders the choice of whether to come on this journey with me, Palmclaw, Brookflow, and the senior warriors or to stay here and become cats of another Clan. "Kits, you must remain with your mothers, although—" and here his gaze lingered on the five oldest kits, Goldkit, Beachkit, Fishkit, Conchkit, and Seakit— "they will decide whether they'll let you have a say in their choice. I will give you until sunset to make your decision, and then we depart for the Gathering." He leaped down from the tree and settled at the foot of the oak tree leaders stood on to address the Clan, and watched as his cats broke off into small groups and began whispering about their decision. When the sun set and the sky began to darken, Whalestar called his Clan together again. "WaterClan, I would like those of you who are remaining in the forest territories to come forward, and state why you are leaving." Slowly, but proudly, Cherryflower and Vinefoot, two of the elders, stepped forward. Cherryflower meowed, "Whalestar, you have taken great care of us as a Clan leader, but we want to remain and die here, in the forest, where we've been all our lives." "We are too weak to go on a long journey, though may all our thanks and good fortune go with you," Vinefoot added. "I hope you find the place you're looking for." He was looking especially at Larkfeather, the only elder left. The speckled she-cat glanced sadly at her friend. Behind them, Aqualeaf, a younger warrior, padded forward shyly. "And, Cherryflower and Vinefoot were my parents," he meowed. "I wish to stay and take care of them. I couldn't bear never getting to see them again." "I understand," Whalestar meowed. "Thank you, every cat," he addressed the remaining WaterClan cats, "for being ready to go on this journey. I must warn you it will be hard and dangerous, but I know that when we find the place we are meant to be it will be worth it." Cheers arose from the cats gathered below. "Now," Whalestar meowed, "we will go to the Gathering." ---- None of the other Clans were surprised when the whole of WaterClan showed up for the Gathering. Lichenstar, Rosestar, Graystar, and Ternstar courteously stepped back and allowed Whalestar to take the position at the front of the rock. The black-and-white leader gave the yowl to begin the Gathering, and after the attention of the cats below was captured, he took a deep breath and started his announcements. "WaterClan has decided to depart," he meowed. "You all know of the great flood that has decimated our territory and made it inhospitable for cats. We are the largest Clan in the forest and cannot easily fit in amongst the other four Clans. "Three of our cats, Cherryfoot, Vinefoot, and Aqualeaf, have decided to stay here in the forest, and join one of the other Clans." Whalestar turned to the other leaders. "Will any Clan take them in?" Usually Clans did not accept outsiders easily, but this was a different matter— these were Clan cats. The other four leaders spoke quietly among themselves on top of the Great Rock for a moment, then turned back to the Clans. "We have decided that RiverClan shall take them in," Ternstar meowed firmly. He held up his tail for silence, much like Whalestar had during the Clan meeting, before the cats below could start muttering and whispering. "We believe that because WaterClan cats are born to swim, they will have an easier time adjusting to RiverClan than any other Clan." Whalestar dipped his head to the white-and-gray tom. "Thank you, Ternstar. And Rosestar, will we be able to cross WindClan territory safely?" "Of course," the dark ginger-and-white she-cat replied. The Gathering proceeded as normal, with new apprentices, kits, and warriors being announced among the other four Clans. Warrior ceremonies... That got Whalestar thinking. Spotpaw is more than ready to become a warrior, Rosecurrent has been giving me endless reports of good progress. And she is the oldest apprentice. I must hold her ceremony soon. And the five oldest kits have reached six moons... Too soon, the Gathering ended, forcing Whalestar to stop his thoughts of mentors and warrior names. He dipped his head to the other leaders and announced, "WaterClan must leave now. Goodbye, forest Clans, and may StarClan light your path." "Yours as well," Lichenstar replied, and the cats below called similar goodbyes as Whalestar jumped down from the Great Rock and WaterClan began to leave the clearing. "Goodbye, WaterClan!" "May StarClan light your path!" Chapter 2 Seakit stuck close to her mother as they left the Gathering, not in the usual direction of WaterClan's territory, but north, towards WindClan territory and past that, the barn. She had never been to the moor before; in fact, she had never even been out of the camp before! Fourtrees was the farthest she'd ever been in her life. That was my first Gathering, she realized, but as she thought that she remembered something else. It was also my last. She'd never get to hear her apprentice name announced, nor her warrior name. A wave of sadness splashed over her. Why did WaterClan have to leave? she thought. Couldn't we have stayed? But in her heart she knew they couldn't have, and she plodded along sadly beside her mother, Redears. "What's the matter, my dear?" Redears asked her when she saw her daughter moping. "I'll never get to hear the Clans cheer my warrior name, or even my apprentice one," Seakit told her sadly. "Oh, Seakit," Redears meowed. Seakit was prepared for her to be scolded for concentrating on the little things now, when the whole Clan had nowhere to live— but she was surprised. "If I were in your place, I'd be thinking the same thing. I know! When the time comes for your names to be announced, everyone will cheer five times as loud, so it will be as if all the Clans were there." "It's not the same," Seakit meowed, but she was cheered a tiny bit, and Redears stroked her fur, knowing that she'd helped. ---- "Blackbud!" Brookflow hurried over to the black-pelted senior warrior, who was lying in the grass with his violet eyes opened wide in pain. "What happened?" Waterheart, who was standing nearby, explained, "Blackbud was hunting a mouse when a rabbit dodged in front of him, making him stop quickly. He fell into a ditch that none of us saw and when we found him he said his shoulder hurt." Brookflow moved her paws over the tom's injury. "I think he's dislocated it," she announced. Sandpaw, Waterheart's apprentice, gave a small gasp. "Will you be able to fix it?" Seakit knew that the pale golden apprentice was very fond of Blackbud, and the two had a special connection. "Yes," Brookflow meowed calmly, "but I need some space." Curious, Seakit crept closer to Brookflow. Redears noticed and tried to pull her daughter back, but Brookflow held her tail up. "Let her watch," she told the queen. "It's only natural that she's curious." Goldkit and Beachkit didn't seem to think so, Seakit thought wryly. Her brothers had only glanced at Blackbud's injury and then gone back to their playing in the bushes. The Clan was sheltering in a small copse of trees just outside of WindClan territory. They would go to the barn after sunhigh and ask directions of the barn cat that Rosestar had mentioned. Seakit thought it was a nice place, but nothing like what their old camp had been, before the flood destroyed it. With Brookflow's permission, Seakit had a good view of Blackbud's injury. "Waterheart, hold his hind legs still," Brookflow instructed the blue-gray she-cat. "Sandpaw, stand clear." The medicine cat carefully positioned her paws on Blackbud's shoulder and gave a firm push. Blackbud let out an earsplitting yowl, and Seakit almost shrank back, but decided to see if Brookflow had cured it first. Blackbud's quick breathing gradually slowed and his eyes opened. "Oh!" he gasped. "Oh, that feels better." He looked up and saw Brookflow. "Did you cure me? Thanks!" The golden-brown she-cat nodded. "It's my job." After Brookflow had given Blackbud instructions to rest for a while, and Waterheart instructions to inform Whalestar of the ditch that Blackbud had fallen into ("We don't want any other cats getting hurt"), Seakit approached the medicine cat. "That was so cool!" she breathed. Brookflow looked down at her with kind ice-blue eyes. "What would you say if I asked you to be my apprentice?" "A— a real medicine cat apprentice?" Seakit whispered. "Really?" "It's hard work," Brookflow warned. "But there's nothing I like better than being a medicine cat. I get to heal and help my Clanmates, befriend cats from other Clans, and even speak with StarClan. Not all cats can do it, but I bet you could. I've seen your patience, curiosity, and kindness that your brothers don't understand— not all cats do." Seakit nodded. She knew what Brookflow was talking about. "I want to be your apprentice." "Are you sure?" "I'm sure." Chapter 3 Whalestar approached the entrance to the barn cautiously. Palmclaw and Brookflow followed behind him. He stepped into the dark building. "Hello?" he called. "Is anyone here?" He could have sworn he heard a scuffling in the hay beyond his line of sight. "We come in peace!" he meowed. At this, a gray-and-white she-cat emerged from behind a pillar of wood. "Who are you?" she asked. Whalestar noticed that she carried the scent of milk— she had kits! Rosestar hadn't mentioned that, so it must have been recently. "My name is Whalestar," Whalestar answered, dipping his head, "and these are my Clanmates, Palmclaw and Brookflow. We come from WaterClan." The she-cat's eyes lit up with recognition. "Oh, yes, I know of the Clans. My name is Jade." "Greetings," Palmclaw meowed. Brookflow nodded her head as well. "I am the leader of WaterClan," Whalestar explained to Jade. "We've come to ask you for directions to a place that the leaders of the other Clans have only heard of— a place filled with water, northwest of here. Have you been there?" "Yes!" Jade meowed. "I actually came from there— my mother brought me here when I was a kit. She— she died when I was only nine moons old. But I managed. There are plenty of mice here." "Then do you mind if my Clan shelters here?" Whalestar asked. "Just for the night?" He realized he hadn't told Jade that his whole Clan was here, but the she-cat seemed not to be too surprised. "Of course, as long as they don't harm my kits." "We would never do that," Whalestar assured her. Category:Fanfictions (Incomplete) Category:Fanfictions Category:Content (Qibli77) Category:Fanfictions (Fanon)